COLLEGE COUNSELING
at GPS
205 Island Avenue | Chattanooga, TN 37405 Office 423.634.7600 | GPS.edu | CEEB – 430300
Megan D. Cover Head of School 423.634.7629 mcover@GPS.edu
Beth Creswell Wilson ’96, PhD
GPS MISSION STATEMENT Girls Preparatory School inspires each girl to lead a life of integrity and purpose by engaging her mind, cultivating her strengths, and nurturing her self-confidence and respect for others.
Associate Head of School for Academics Head of Upper School 423.634.7613 bwilson@GPS.edu
Andrew Reich
THE SCHOOL At a time when girls were not afforded the same college preparatory education as boys, three visionary female school teachers started Girls Preparatory School. More than 118 years later, the stories and the trajectory of the lives of thousands of girls have been written and modeled because of the tenacity of the three Founders, who were not only educators but also resourceful social entrepreneurs. With a holistic approach to educating girls, GPS provides robust academic opportunities that complement vibrant arts and competitive athletic programs. While GPS has evolved and grown since 1906, one constant remains: a passion and commitment for preparing girls—in mind, body, and spirit—for college and for life.
ACCREDITATION Southern Association of Independent Schools
Director of College Counseling 423.634.5441 areich@GPS.edu
Anders Swanson Senior Associate Director of College Counseling 423.634.7625 aswanson@GPS.edu
Sarah Russell College Counseling Office Assistant & Testing Coordinator 423.634.7624 srussell@GPS.edu
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES Laureate Scholars Program GPS's Laureate Scholars is a selective, by-application program that recognizes students who pursue sustained, in-depth study in a chosen area of interest. Students complete extended coursework in their area of concentration, engage in experiential learning and community involvement, carry out a significant independent project, develop a digital portfolio documenting their work, and culminate the program with a formal defense. Students who successfully complete all program requirements graduate with distinction as Laureate Scholars.
Tucker Fellows Program Tucker Fellows is a selective program that prepares students to investigate significant challenges and opportunities in the Chattanooga region through place-based, interdisciplinary research. In the current one-credit Honors Research and Action – Tucker Fellows course, students study the region and develop research skills before designing and carrying out an original research project that culminates in a substantial research paper and a formal proposal and presentation of a solution. As the program has evolved in recent years, members of the Class of 2027 may have completed different versions of the Tucker Fellows curriculum during the transition.
Career Mentorship Program The Career Mentorship Program (CMP) is a selective program built to connect wellsuited rising juniors and seniors with preprofessional mentorship opportunities in our local community. Students who are selected for the program participate in two- to fourweek educational placements in a variety of professional environments, including corporate and civil sectors such as law, engineering, non-profits, health sciences, and finance/insurance.
ENROLLMENT 500
14%
76
students
86%
Georgia residents
Class of 2026
CLASS OF 2024-26 AP/HONORS CLASS ENROLLMENT DATA
CLASS OF 2022-26 STANDARDIZED TESTING
Below is data from the past three graduating classes (225 total students) that captures rigor and curricular choice within the context of GPS
(mid 50%)
AP COURSES 1+
94% 60%
7+
23%
10+
3%
zip codes
Prior to the 2022-23 academic year, GPS students needed departmental approval to enroll in Honors/AP level courses. In developing student schedules, attention was paid to ensuring our girls maintained a healthy balance in their academic, cocurricular, and social lives. As of the 2022-23 academic year, students no longer need departmental approval to enroll in Honors/AP level courses. We believe that students should be able to freely pursue rigorous academic courses and intellectual growth as they see fit. We continue to advise students to make healthy choices but no longer create obstacles to satiating curiosities. Furthermore, we no longer require students to sit for AP exams, which began with the May 2023 exam administration period.
CLASS OF 2027 CUMULATIVE WEIGHTED GPA DISTRIBUTION (through 11th grade)
FULL RANGE OF CLASS: 2.85 - 4.45
MEAN: 3.83 INSTITUTIONAL TYPE ENROLLMENT (2022-2026)
TOTAL AP CLASSES OFFERED: 27
PUBLIC: 58% PRIVATE: 42%
TOTAL HONORS CLASSES OFFERED: 17
99% of GPS graduates enroll in a 4-year institution
A total of 164 students sat for 341 AP exams.
121
sending schools
HONORS/AP STATEMENT
SAT: 1070-1310 ACT: 22-30
PERCENTAGE
4+
81
Tennessee residents
The Class of 2026 applied to 187 colleges & universities
84% of AP exams scored at 3 or above.
67 graduates enrolled in 38 unique colleges & universities In-State Enrollment: 32% Out-of-State Enrollment: 68%
GRADING SCALE In order to differentiate between A+ work on the two grading scales, in AP/Honors courses in which a student receives a 97-100 the transcript will reflect “A +” (with a space). Our grading scales, which were updated in 2022, have been fully in effect for the Class of 2027 for the duration of their time in the upper school.
NUMERIC, LETTER, AND GPA CONVERSION CHARTS STANDARD GRADING SCALE
AP AND HONORS GRADING SCALE
A+ = 4.3 (97-100)
C+ = 2.3 (77-79)
A + = 4.6 (97-100)
B- = 2.7 (77-79)
A = 4.0 (94-96)
C
= 2.0 (73-76)
A+ = 4.3 (94-96)
C+ = 2.3 (75-76)
A- = 3.7 (90-93)
C- = 1.7 (70-72)
A = 4.0 (90-93)
C
B+ = 3.3 (87-89)
D = 1.0 (65-69)
A- = 3.7 (87-89)
C- = 1.7 (70-72)
B
F
B+ = 3.3 (83-86)
D = 1.0 (65-69)
B
F
= 3.0 (83-86)
B- = 2.7 (80-82)
= 0.0 (0-64)
= 3.0 (80-82)
= 2.0 (73-74)
= 0.0 (0-64)
A grade of C- or higher is required in any course that meets a prerequisite or graduation requirement.
CURRICULUM English
Social Studies
Science
World Language
Fine Arts
9th Grade
English 9 Honors English 9
Modern World History AP World History
Biology Honors Biology
10th Grade
English 10 Honors English 10
Human Geography AP Human Geography
Chemistry Honors Chemistry
11th Grade
English 11 AP English Language & Composition
U.S. History AP U.S. History
12th Grade
English 12 AP English Language & Composition
Global Conflicts* Economics* U.S. Since 1945* AP European History AP U.S. Government
Forensic Science* Marine Science* Neuroscience* Environmental Sustainability Anatomy & Physiology Physics Honors Physics*** AP Physics 1*** AP Environmental Science AP Biology AP Chemistry AP Physics C
French I French II Honors French II French III Honors French III French IV Honors Special Topics in French: Francophone Identities Honors Special Topics in French: Society and Culture AP French Language and Culture Spanish I Spanish II Honors Spanish II Spanish III Honors Spanish III Spanish IV Honors Special Topics in Spanish: Society and Culture Honors Special Topics in Spanish: Hispanophone Identities AP Spanish Language and Culture
Art I/Art II* Art III Improvisation I/Improvisation II* Storytelling and the Stage* Foundations of Art* Ceramics I/Ceramics II* Drawing I/Drawing II Printmaking* Sculpture* Painting* College Art Portfolio Acting I: Theater History and Performance* Acting II: Theater History and Performance* Technical Theater Workshop* Principles of Production Design* Advanced Technical Theater Production Introduction to Modern Dance* Choreography* Advanced Choreography* Dance Technique Lab Dance Choreography Lab Dance Performance Lab GPS Singers History of Contemporary American Music* Introduction to Music Theory* Symphonic Ensemble – Orchestra & Band AP Music Theory AP 2D Art and Design AP 3D Art and Design AP Drawing Portfolio
Religion
Interdisciplinary, Inquiry, & Enrichment Adventure in the North American Imagination: From the North Pole to Walt Disney World* The American Civil Rights Movement in Theater* School Internship** IT Internship** GOLE Internship** Intro to Wilderness Medicine* Orienteering and Risk Management in Outdoor Leadership* AP Seminar AP Research Honors Research and Action Tucker Fellows
Physical Education Health and Wellness* Introduction to Strength and Conditioning* Strength and Conditioning | Fall* Strength and Conditioning | Spring*
Math
Biblical Ethics* Comparative Religion: Faith in Action* History of Christianity* World Religions* Comparative Religion in the Chattanooga Landscape*
Computer Science & Engineering Engineering I/Engineering II* Engineering Introduction to Programming* Web Programming I* Web Programming II* AP Computer Science Principles AP Computer Science A
Algebra 1 Honors Algebra 1 Geometry Accelerated Geometry Honor Geometry Algebra II Accelerated Algebra II & Trigonomtry Honors Algebra II & Trigonomtry Accelerated Precalculus*** Honors Precalculus*** AP Precalculus (Pre-AB) *** AP Precalculus (Pre-BC) *** Calculus AP Calculus AB AP Calculus BC Honors Multivariable Calculus* Honors Linear Algebra* Advanced Financial Algebra and Statistics AP Statistics
*denotes one semester course **can be either a semester or yearlong course ***Honors Physics, Accelerated Precalculus, and Honors Precalculus were last offered in the 2025-2026 school year. Beginning this school year, they have been replaced by AP Physics 1, AP Precalculus (PreAB) and AP Precalculus (Pre-BC).
ONLINE LEARNING PARTNER
GPS GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS (CLASS OF 2027)
GPS partners with One Schoolhouse to provide online and asynchronous courses that are personalized, competency-based, learner-driven, and aligned with GPS’s mission and expectations. These courses are pursued by students looking for deeper learning in an area of curiosity or passion, accelerated sequencing, or remediation. Such courses will be denoted on the transcript by “One Schoolhouse” within the course title.
ENGLISH
4 CREDITS
Required each semester
MATHEMATICS
4 CREDITS
Must complete through Algebra II with one additional year
WORLD LANGUAGES
3 CREDITS
Through Level III of same language
SCIENCE
3 CREDITS
Biology, chemistry, one additional year
HISTORY
3 CREDITS
Modern World History, U.S. History, one additional year
RELIGION*
0.5 CREDIT
FINE ARTS
1 CREDIT
A computer science course may be substituted for one of these areas
2 CREDITS
Any course beyond graduation requirements
ELECTIVES
1 CREDIT Taken during freshman and sophomore years (0.5 credit per year) PHYSICAL EDUCATION
TOTAL REQUIRED:
21.5 CREDITS
COLLEGE ENROLLMENT & ACCEPTANCES (2022-2026) Alabama: Auburn University Birmingham-Southern College Huntingdon College Jacksonville State University Samford University Tuskegee University University of Alabama University of Alabama Birmingham University of Alabama - Huntsville University of South Alabama Alaska: University of Alaska - Fairbanks Arizona: Arizona State University Grand Canyon University Prescott College University of Arizona Arkansas: Harding University University of Arkansas California: Cal Poly - Pomona Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo Loyola Marymount University Pepperdine University St. Mary’s College of California San Diego State University Santa Clara University University of California - Irvine University of California - Riverside University of California - Santa Barbara University of California - Santa Cruz University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of Southern California Colorado: Colorado College Colorado State University Fort Lewis College United States Air Force Academy University of Colorado - Boulder University of Colorado - Denver University of Denver Connecticut: Connecticut College Fairfield University Quinnipiac University Trinity College United States Coast Guard Academy University of Hartford Wesleyan University Delaware: University of Delaware District of Columbia: American University Georgetown University George Washington University Howard University The Catholic University of America Florida: College of the Florida Keys Eckerd College Flagler College Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Florida Institute of Technology Florida International University Florida Southern College Florida State University Jacksonville University Nova Southeastern University Palm Beach Atlantic University Rollins College Saint Leo University Stetson University University of Florida University of Miami University of North Florida University of South Florida University of Tampa Georgia: Agnes Scott College Augusta University Berry College
Brenau University Clark Atlanta University College of Coastal Georgia Covenant College Dalton State College Emmanuel University Emory University Georgia College Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Southern University Georgia State University Kennesaw State University Life University Mercer University Oglethorpe University Oxford College of Emory University Piedmont University Savannah College of Art and Design University of Georgia University of North Georgia Valdosta State University Young Harris College Hawaii: Hawaii Pacific University Illinois: DePaul University Illinois Wesleyan University Knox College Lake Forest College Loyola University Chicago Northwestern University Roosevelt University School of the Art Institute of Chicago Southern Illinois University (Carbondale) University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign Wheaton College Indiana: Ball State University Butler University Earlham College Indiana University - Bloomington Purdue University Iowa: Grinnell College Kansas: Kansas State University University of Kansas Kentucky: Bellarmine University Centre College Spalding University Transylvania University University of Kentucky University Louisville Western Kentucky University Louisiana: Louisiana State University Louisiana Tech University Loyola University New Orleans Southern University and A&M College Tulane University Maine: Colby College Maryland: Goucher College Johns Hopkins University Loyola University Maryland St. John’s College (Annapolis) University of Maryland - College Park Massachusetts: Berklee College of Music Boston College Boston University Brandeis University College of the Holy Cross Emerson College Massachusetts College of Art & Design Merrimack College Mount Holyoke College Northeastern University Stonehill College
Suffolk University University of Massachusetts Amherst Wellesley College Worcester Polytechnic Institute Michigan: Ferris State University Michigan State University University of Michigan Minnesota: Macalester College St. Olaf College University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Mississippi: Mississippi State University University of Mississippi University of Southern Mississippi Missouri: Missouri State University St. Louis University Washington University in St. Louis Webster University Montana: Montana State University Nebraska: Nebraska Wesleyan University Nevada: University of Nevada - Las Vegas New Hampshire: Dartmouth College University of New Hampshire New Jersey: Montclair State University Princeton University Ramapo College of New Jersey Rider University Rutgers University Seton Hall University New York: Bard College Binghamton University Fordham University Hofstra University Iona University Ithaca College Manhattanville University Marymount Manhattan College Molloy University New York University Pace University Parsons School of Design at The New School Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rochester Institute of Technology SUNY at Purchase College School of Visual Arts St. John’s University St. Lawrence University Stony Brook University Syracuse University Union College United States Merchant Marine Academy University of Rochester Vassar College North Carolina: Appalachian State University Barton College Belmont Abbey College Campbell University Davidson College Duke University East Carolina University Elon University High Point University Meredith College North Carolina A&T State University North Carolina State University Queens University Charlotte University of North Carolina at Asheville University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Charlotte University of North Carolina at Greensboro
University of North Carolina at Wilmington University of North Carolina School of the Arts Wake Forest University Warren Wilson College Western Carolina University Ohio: Baldwin Wallace University Case Western Reserve University College of Wooster Denison University Kenyon College Miami University Oberlin College Ohio State University Ohio University Ohio Wesleyan University University of Cincinnati University of Dayton Wittenberg University Xavier University Oklahoma: Oklahoma City University Oral Roberts University University of Central Oklahoma University of Oklahoma Oregon: Lewis & Clark College Oregon State University Reed College University of Oregon Willamette University Pennsylvania: Allegheny College Carnegie Mellon University Dickinson College Drexel University Duquesne University Franklin & Marshall College Gettysburg College Lafayette College Lehigh University Muhlenberg College Pennsylvania State University Point Park University Susquehanna University Temple University University of Pittsburgh Villanova University Washington & Jefferson College Rhode Island: Providence College University of Rhode Island South Carolina: Clemson University Coastal Carolina University College of Charleston Converse University Furman University University of South Carolina Beaufort University of South Carolina Columbia Wofford College Tennessee: Austin Peay State University Belmont University Carson-Newman University Chattanooga State Community College Cumberland University East Tennessee State University Fisk University Johnson University Lee University Lipscomb University Maryville College Middle Tennessee State University Milligan University Pellissippi State Community College Rhodes College Roane State Community College Sewanee: University of the South Tennessee College of Applied Technology Tennessee State University Tennessee Technological
University Tennessee Wesleyan University University of Memphis University of Tennessee Chattanooga University of Tennessee Knoxville University of Tennessee - Martin University of Tennessee - Southern Trevecca Nazarene University Tusculum University Union University Vanderbilt University Texas: Baylor University Southern Methodist University Texas A&M University Texas Christian University Texas State University University of North Texas Trinity University Utah: University of Utah Vermont: Norwich University University of Vermont Virginia: Emory & Henry College College of William & Mary George Mason University Hampton University James Madison University Liberty University Randolph-Macon College Roanoke College University of Richmond Shenandoah University University of Virginia Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Military Institute Virginia Polytechnic University Washington & Lee University Washington: Seattle University University of Puget Sound University of Washington - Seattle Western Washington University Whitman College West Virginia: West Virginia University Wisconsin: Beloit College Marquette University University of Wisconsin - Madison University of Wisconsin Milwaukee University of Wisconsin Platteville Viterbo University International: American University in Bulgaria (Bulgaria) American University in Paris (France) American University in Rome (Italy) Bangor University (Wales) John Cabot University (Italy) Maastricht University (Netherlands) McGill University (Canada) Newcastle University (England) Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) University College Dublin (Ireland) University College London (England) University of Aberdeen (Scotland) University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) University of Edinburgh (Scotland) University of Glasgow (Scotland) University of Manchester (England) University of St Andrews (Scotland) York University (Canada)